Reusable Packaging and Pallets – News Briefs 2017

Noteworthy nuggets from the world of reusable packaging and pallets. Send your bits and pieces to rick@packagingrevolution.net.

January 18, 2018. Tesla Executive Appointed to Call2Recycle’s Board of Directors

Finance Executive Joins National Battery Stewardship Organization

Call2Recycle, Inc., North America’s first and largest consumer battery stewardship organization, announced today that Susan Repo, the Corporate Treasurer and Vice President of Finance at Tesla, Inc., will be joining the organization’s United States Board of Directors.

At Tesla, Ms. Repo is responsible for shaping and building capital structure, including liquidity and liability profiles to scale with the world’s largest hyper-growth sustainable energy company. With more than 20 years of experience in the law and finance, she’s served as a leader of strategic initiatives across tax and trade globally focused on domestic and international growth, productivity and profitability. Her experience with Tesla, in particular, aligns with Call2Recycle’s commitment to product stewardship and sustainable practices.

“Susan’s ability to drive growth, increase efficiency and transform operations make her an ideal fit for our board,” said Carl Smith, CEO and President of Call2Recycle, Inc. “In an economy that will increasingly depend on battery systems with the growth of the renewables industry, battery recycling will become all the more relevant. We’re excited to engage Susan’s unique industry experience and look forward to having her join our team.”

In addition to her work at Tesla, Repo led Juniper Networks, Inc. as the Senior Director of International Tax for three years. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Tesla’s subsidiaries globally.

“Clean, renewable energy and sustainability are passions of mine, so I am thrilled to join the board of the U.S.’ premier battery recycling organization,” said Susan Repo. “Call2Recycle’s first principles of efficiency, transparency and commitment to the environment align with my core values. I am eager to work with this dedicated team to elevate product stewardship and battery recycling across North America.”

Call2Recycle offers more than 14,000 public drop-off sites where consumers can recycle their batteries at no cost. Since 1996, the organization has set a record of more than 130 million lbs. (59 million kgs) in collections. To find a local drop-off site for battery recycling, visit Call2Recycle’s locator.

AKRON, Ohio–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Myers Industries, Inc. announced that it has completed the sale of its Brazilian operating subsidiaries, consisting of Myers do Brasil and Novel Plasticos, to Novel Holdings – Eireli in consideration for one U.S. dollar and the assumption of all liabilities and obligations of the subsidiaries, whether arising prior to or after the closing of the transaction. This transaction occurs after investing a considerable amount of effort evaluating strategic alternatives for the Brazil business.

In connection with the transaction, Myers Industries expects to record a pre-tax loss of approximately $35 million during the fourth quarter of 2017, primarily related to the write-down of assets and other transaction-related costs. The Company also expects to realize a cash tax benefit of approximately $15 million as a result of the write-off of the Company’s investment in Brazil. No assets or liabilities associated with the Brazilian entities will be retained by Myers Industries, and the result of the divestiture is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s future operating income performance.

President and Chief Executive Officer Dave Banyard commented, “We are pleased to have reached this agreement, as this strategic transaction will allow us to better focus energy and resources on targeted niche markets where we see opportunities for stronger growth and value creation for the Company. Our exit from Brazil should improve our future cash flow generation, and we are also pleased that the transaction will provide additional value in the form of a meaningful tax benefit.”

The Brazilian operations design and manufacture reusable plastic shipping containers, plastic pallets, crates and totes used for closed-loop shipping and storage in Brazil’s automotive, distribution, food, beverage, and agriculture industries. The combined Brazilian entities had revenue of approximately $24 million in 2016.

About Myers Industries

Myers Industries, Inc. is an international manufacturer of polymer products for industrial, agricultural, automotive, commercial and consumer markets. The Company is also the largest distributor of tools, equipment and supplies for the tire, wheel and under vehicle service industry in the U.S. Visit www.myersindustries.com to learn more.

December 19, 2017. CHEP Food Safety Traceability Technology Recognized as Top Solution for Ninth Consecutive Year

CHEP is proud to be recognized by Food Logistics magazine as one of the Top 100 technology suppliers for its continued advancement in food safety traceability. Each year Food Logistics magazine recognizes companies that have created tech solutions to help food and beverage manufacturers operate more efficiently and effectively. As food safety remains a hot-button issue, this list has become a directory to guide food and beverage producers toward innovative solutions.

“New developments and innovations in the software and technology sector are making sizeable impacts on the global food supply chain,” notes Lara L. Sowinski, Editorial Director for Food Logistics. “The result is a greater visibility, improved regulatory compliance, enhanced shelf life for perishables, and the emergence of a more proactive and nimble food supply chain that benefits both the food industry and its logistics partners, as well as the end consumer.”

CHEP’s proprietary asset management system, CHEP-TRAC, includes several tools which enable customers to track assets throughout the supply chain and more easily comply with FSMA requirements. Utilizing barcode and RFID technology, customers can more effectively control product quality with readily accessible reports that provide weight, temperature, order quantity and batch number data.

Asset ID tags, which can be captured via RFID-enabled handheld scanners or portals, allow users to capture critical data related to their HACCP plans and immediately load data into the web-based cloud system for other approved members of their team to access. Manufacturers using CHEP-TRAC reduce their manual processes and opportunity for human error, ultimately ensuring product arrives to end users in the appropriate condition, and limiting the risk of food contamination.

December 18, 2017. The Guardian makes the case for reusable packaging in its recent article, 5 Winning Strategies in Sustainable Packaging. The story cites the example of Henkel’s Bogota, Colombia beauty care operations. In 2016, Last year, 177 tonnes of cardboard boxes were reused. The business asked suppliers to use sturdier corrugated boxes. It set up quality-checking and reused each box 15-20 times. The result: it saved an equivalent of 3,300 trees and reduced 640 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

“Meanwhile,” the story notes, “Dutch reusable packaging firm Schoeller Allibert makes a ventilated reusable plastic crate for transporting fruit and vegetables – the Maxinest. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation cites it as a good example of packaging innovation in the supply chain, because a Maxinest crate’s carbon footprint is about two thirds smaller than that of a standard size cardboard box.”

“While Questar has grown organically and by expanding into new geographies, the Dayton Industrial Drum purchase marks the first acquisition-based expansion of our Questar business unit,” said Mr. Charles Veniez, President and CEO of ICS. “The integration of Dayton’s capabilities into the existing Questar and ICS infrastructure brings opportunity for their customers and ours, our suppliers, and our shareholders.
We are pleased that the Hussong family chose ICS as their exit-strategy partner as they move on to the next phase of their lives. We wish them the best and congratulate them on a job well done for over 40 years.”

“On behalf of Dayton Industrial Drum, we would like to take this opportunity to thank our customers for their continued support and loyalty,” said Kylene Hussong. “It has been an honor for us to carry on the family business for the past 45 years. My grandfather, William J. Hussong, would have been very proud of what we have accomplished. The sale to ICS assures our customers will continue to receive the quality of products and customer service which they have come to expect from Dayton Industrial Drum.”

ICS is the largest provider of reusable container solutions in North America. Through multiple brands, ICS operates over 50 strategically located facilities in 21 U.S. states and 6 Canadian provinces. ICS is well-positioned to service local, regional and North American customers alike, and strives to be the supplier of choice for high-quality, environmentally-responsible container solutions. ICS offers unparalleled expertise with over 100 years of experience in the industrial container space and is focused on anticipating customer needs and exceeding expectations. The company offers the most complete container management systems available including reconditioning, manufacturing, distribution, used container collection and recycling services for all major industrial packages.

New innovations in reusable transport packaging such as pallets, bins, containers and totes will be on display in the Reusable Packaging Pavilion at PACK EXPO East (April 16-18; Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia).

The pavilion is a result of the partnership between the Reusable Packaging Association (RPA) and PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.

“Building off of the successful Reusable Packaging Pavilion at PACK EXPO International and PACK EXPO Las Vegas for the past eight years, RPA is excited to bring sustainable, reusable packaging solutions to this fast growing regional audience,” states Tim Debus, president & CEO Reusable Packaging Association.

“The partnership with RPA ensures the important innovations featured at our larger shows are on display at our East Coast event. We look forward to continuing our partnership with RPA,” states Laura Thompson, senior director of Expositions for PMMI.

PACK EXPO East will feature over 400 suppliers of advance packaging equipment, automation, robotics and controls, materials, containers, printing and labeling technologies and other supply chain solutions. Attendees include teams from major CPGs in 40+ vertical industries. For more information on becoming and exhibitor or attendee PACK EXPO East 2018 (April 16-18; Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia) visit www.packexpoeast.com

December 7, 2017. ISRI Now Accepting Nominations for 2018 Design for Recycling® Award

Award recognizes those who design with recycling in mind

Washington, DC – The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), the Voice of the Recycling Industry™, is now accepting entries for the 2018 Design for Recycling® (DFR) Award. The DFR Award is ISRI’s highest award given annually to the most outstanding contribution to products designed with recycling in mind. It recognizes proactive steps made by manufacturers who have actively incorporated DFR principles into products and processes.

“Effective recycling really begins at the point a product is first conceived,” said Robin Wiener, president of ISRI. “The Design for Recycling® Award recognizes companies, designers, and manufacturers with clearly established mindsets that stand above others when producing products that can be recycled both safely and efficiently. When their product reaches the end of life stage it can be recycled in a manner that benefits the environment and the economy.”

Be easily recycled through current or newly designed recycling processes and procedures.

Be cost effective to recycle whereby the cost to recycle does not exceed the value of its recycled materials.

Be free of hazardous materials that are not recyclable or impede the recycling process.

Minimize the time and cost involved to recycle the product.

Reduce the use of raw materials by including recycled materials and/or components.

Have a net gain in the overall recyclability of the product while reducing the overall negative impact on the environment.

Interested parties can enter onlinebefore the February 23, 2018 deadline. Applicants will be notified by March 16, 2018. The winner will be officially recognized at the ISRI 2018 Convention and Exposition to be held April 14-19 in Las Vegas.

How to Configure and Equip Your Warehouse: Pallet racking, industrial shelving, MHE and more are covered in a practical warehouse design “due diligence primer.”

December 4, 2017. Paul Rankin, President of the Reusable Industrial Packaging Association, was interviewed recently by Industrial Packaging Industry News. Paul Rankin has been President of the Reusable Industrial Packaging Association for over 26 years. Prior to joining RIPA, he served as President of the Dangerous Goods Advisory Council; was Regulatory Affairs Directory of the National Association of Recycling Industries and the State Government Affairs Manager for the National Solid Waste Management Association. He currently Chairs the International Confederation of Container Reconditioners and the Interested Parties for Hazardous Materials Transportation.

The repair station with 800 m2 warehouse, 250 m2 office space and an extensive outside storage area holds the certification of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), which allows carrying out ULD repairs for airlines based in Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong and the USA, and also received the certification of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

The station’s repair capability includes all certified ULDs such as large structural main deck units, containers, pallets and horse stalls, and inflight food service equipment. In addition to the repair centre’s main customer Singapore Airlines Cargo, the increased repair capacity enables the provision of ULD and galley cart maintenance and repair services to other customers as well.

Mr. Benoît Dumont, Unilode CEO, said: “Our new, conveniently located and spacious repair facility in Singapore allows us to offer our services to our expanding customer base in the Asia Pacific region where we are intensifying our business development efforts for both our ULD management and repair solutions. In addition to the new facility in Singapore we are looking at establishing a presence at a number of strategic hubs in the region. Unilode’s ULD and galley cart capabilities and expertise play an important part in airlines’ decision to outsource their ULD management and repair operations to Unilode. Singapore Airlines Cargo and Cathay Pacific Airways are our largest customers in Asia Pacific and we expect to grow our customer base with other major carriers next year.”

November 27, 2017. CHEP Netherlands Supports Food Banks

CHEP has entered into a cooperation agreement with Food Banks in the Netherlands, whereby the pallet company provides free pallets to transport food surpluses to the food banks. CHEP provides free pallets for food bank transport.

In the Netherlands, 1.2 million people live in poverty, of which 421,000 are underage children. 1 in 8 children is hungry daily in the classroom. On the other hand, 1.8 to 2.7 million tons of food is wasted every year. Half of this happens at home, while the other half is wasted during production and distribution. Less than 5 percent of this ends up at the food banks, with which they were able to help 135,000 people in 2016.

CHEP wants to improve this situation and together with its customers in the FMCG and retail reduce the large amount of food that is destroyed. That is why CHEP calls on retailers and producers to donate food surpluses. The pallet company covers the cost of its pallets which are used for transport.

The food banks have 8 distribution centers in the Netherlands, where all foodstuffs are distributed and the food packages are put together. From these DCs, 167 food banks with more than 500 delivery points are supplied. “The logistical expertise of CHEP and the free pallets are a great incentive to increase our flow of goods and thus provide even more people with a food package every week,” says Tom Hillemans, vice president of Food Banks Netherlands.

The initiative is fully in line with CHEP’s sustainability policy. Laura Zandstra, Sustainability Manager CHEP Netherlands explains: “The business model of CHEP is built on the concept of the circular economy. We strive for an economy that produces as little as possible emissions and waste and places the quality of life for people and the environment at the center. The cooperation with the food banks, therefore, fits perfectly in our sustainability policy.”

November 22, 2017. Harshvardhan Singh, an automotive sector reusable packaging thought leader and industry veteran, has been selected as a Jury Member for the prestigious PrintWeek India Awards. He recently founded Ficus Tigatai, a start-up offering sustainable packaging solutions to the automotive industry.

November 22, 2017. LPR UK Announces Customer Wins, 7% Year on Year Growth

LPR UK’s new clients in the logistics sector include Knowles Transport, a Cambridgeshire-based freight and warehousing provider as well as award-winning freight forwarder Global Freight, according to a report in SHD Logistics. LPR has also partnered with Boardlink, a corrugated packaging manufacturer. Recent extensions or wins in the FMCG sector include Samworth Brothers, East End Foods, and Ballygarvey Eggs. The company reports a 7% increase in pallet movements year-on-year.

These successes have helped boost LPR performance, with a pallet movement increase of 7% year-on-year.

BillerudKorsnäs has been awarded a Gold rating from EcoVadis for the fourth year in a row. The annual evaluation of 30,000 suppliers shows that BillerudKorsnäs is among the top 1 percent of all companies assessed. The company is a world-leading provider of primary fiber-based packaging materials and have customers in over 100 countries. The company has 8 production sites in Sweden, Finland and the UK with about 4300 employees in over 13 countries.

EcoVadis is the leading system for evaluating suppliers’ environmental aspects, working conditions, corporate social responsibility and subcontractors. Multinational brands with high ethical ambitions use the system to evaluate their supply chains in turn.

This year’s evaluation shows that BillerudKorsnäs is among the very best of all companies in the same industry and is also in the top percentage rank among all companies assessed, regardless of industry. It also shows that BillerudKorsnäs improved even more this year.

“EcoVadis confirms that our sustainability is at a high level and that we have structured work on environment and working conditions, clear guidelines regarding ethical issues and a systematic approach with our suppliers. The fact that we received very high scores in all areas assessed, well above the average of the group of paper and cardboard manufacturers we are compared to, and that we have received higher rankings every year since the first evaluation in 2013 is really pleasing,” says Bengt Brunberg, responsible for reporting on sustainability initiatives.

The EcoVadis method is based on internationally adopted principles for sustainability reporting, such as GRI (Global Reporting Initiative), United Nations Global Compact and ISO 26000, and is audited by independent sustainability experts.

$7.5 Million Awarded to Man Who Broke Hip After Catching Foot in Pallet

November 10, 2017. An Alabama man was awarded $7.5 million after successfully suing Walmart for damages. His foot became trapped in a pallet beneath watermelons as he reached for one. The injury occurred on June 25, 2015.

An attorney for the plaintiff argued that Walmart should have covered the ends of the pallet so that it could not entangle a shopper’s foot.

Walmart said it planned to appeal. Walmart has repeatedly argued that the display was not dangerous and that any negligence was on the part of the plaintiff. It pointed out that the same displays remain in use to this day.

“Walmart continues to display watermelons in the same manner as it did on June 25, 2015,” the company in a court filing last week. “These displays come to the store from the producer already packaged and ready to be dropped and displayed.”

What do I think? The proposition that all pallet openings be covered in retail stores is a stretch to be certain, but picking a watermelon out of the bottom of a bin can still be challenging. Even though lower height bins have become more popular in recent years which reduces the degree of stretching required, it can still be a little awkward if the bin isn’t accessible from all four sides. I’m not suggesting that the supply chain necessarily invest in ergonomically superior packaging solutions with drop doors or raised floors, etc., but at least look at the basics like having accessibility on all four sides for shoppers, and if not, some sort of pick stick to draw any wayward melons within easy reach.

CHEP Automotive (India) and Endurance Technologies have won the EnvironmentalSustainability category at the recent 2017Automotive Global Awards! The solution that netted us the win saw us replace the wooden boxes and corrugated packaging that Endurance used to distribute clutches with reusable, foldable containers and inserts. This allowed Endurance to greatly improve its truck utilization, reducing its CO₂ output and fuel costs while also minimisingwaste generation and deforestation.

Kartel Spa of Sacile acquires Gekoplast

Karton Spa, Europe’s leader in the production and processing of polypropylene and slate slabs, specialized in the sector of ‘reusable packaging’ based in Sacile, announced that it has submitted a binding bid for the acquisition of 100% of the company Gekoplast, based in Krupski Mlyn, in the Industrial District of Upper Silesia, Poland.

The acquired company is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange

Gekoplast, a listed company on the Warsaw Stock Exchange and controlled by the private equity fund Capital Partners. Founded in 2010, it specializes in the production and processing of polypropylene sheets. It has registered steady growth, ending 2016 with a turnover of around 21 million euros. The majority shareholder holding more than 73% confirmed their bid adherence. The finalization of the public purchase offer is expected by December 2017.

Growth and consolidation for Karton Spa

Management of Karton Spa comments: “The acquisition of Gekoplast is an important step for the growth and consolidation of our company. The proximity of the Polish company to the outlet markets is strategic for us to strengthen our leadership in the European market and to boost our production capacity. This acquisition and recent investments in the Group’s Italian plants will enable us to cope with the growing demand for reusable packaging in Europe. With the acquisition of Gekoplast, the Karton Group aims to exceed 100 million euros in turnover for 2018. “

November 8, 2017. Reusable delivery boxes could be cheaper, greener. According to a report from Beijing, “several express delivery companies have opted for reusable plastic delivery boxes to replace the past one-time use boxes.” In 2016, domestic express delivery companies used 31.3 billion cardboard boxes for packaging purposes. The article notes that reusable boxes are much cheaper on a cost per trip basis. The average reusable box cost is around 25 yuan ($3.77) with a life expectancy of 1000 trips. “In other words,” the article notes, “it costs less than 0.03 yuan for each delivery.”

The article continues, “To ensure that they can be used that many times, the delivery companies need to impress on their employees the need to avoid violent sorting. Besides, it might be necessary for them to give their employees an incentive to collect the reusable delivery boxes, as it means a little extra work for them.

“With the reusable delivery boxes coming into use, more challenges can be expected. Yet it is necessary to encourage their use.”

October 31, 2017. Logistics Management has released its 2017 Warehouse/Distribution Center Survey. While adjusts for e-commerce growth are ongoing and predictable, one item of note was that inventory turnover had decreased in 2017 to 8.5 turns, down from 9.2 in 2016 – a trend of potential interest for reusable packaging. Don Derewecki, a senior consultant with St. Onge Company, offered a few reasons for the decrease, including the low cost of financing, which makes it less expensive to carry more safety stock. Also, he noted the widening of the Panama Canal and enhancements to some U.S. ports that have “tended to increase the volume of cargo that can be imported at an attractive cost.”

October 31, 2017. According to a corrugated pallet industry report, there is growing demand for lightweight pallets. The demand for lightweight pallets is increasing from the different end-user segments, such as the retail industry and e-commerce industry. The analysts forecast global corrugated pallets market to grow at a CAGR of 4.15% during the period 2017-2021. One challenge facing producers is the rising price of wood pulp and paper. The global corrugated pallets market is facing a tremendous margin pressure increase in the input cost and competition, which reduces the flexibility of the market vendors to raise the prices.

In 2015, paper mills had increased the prices of kraft paper by $20- $40 per ton; kraft paper is one of the important raw materials used in the production and manufacturing of corrugated pallets. The price for the paper is expected to increase by 10%-20% during 2017. This increase in the price of paper will raise the manufacturing cost for the global corrugated pallets market. For more information, click here.

For the third year in a row, PECO Pallet’s depot in Hazleton, Pennsylvania has been re-certified by the Safe Quality Food Institute (SQF) for Level 2 HACCP-Based Food Safety Plans. In 2014, PECO Pallet became the first North American pallet company to achieve SQF certification and remains the only wood pallet depot in the U.S. with SQF certification.

Joseph Dagnese, Chief Executive Officer of PECO Pallet, said, “Safety is of paramount importance at PECO Pallet, and our continuous improvement processes ensure consistent quality and safety for our customers. We are proud to be recognized as the only wood pallet company with a proven HACCP-based food safety program.”

The SQF certification is part of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and is focused on food safety prevention controls for packaging and shipping materials. To qualify for the SQF Certification for Level 2 Food Safety, PECO Pallet had to demonstrate that it meets certified requirements to identify hazards and minimize food safety risks in its environment and products. PECO Pallet maintains an HACCP-based food safety and quality system and was evaluated in 17 different supporting programs and procedures, ranging from sanitation and chemical controls to personnel training and transportation programs. The entire facility in Hazleton was audited, and PECO Pallet’s implementation of HACCP quality systems and controls was found to meet or exceed U.S. FDA food safety requirements.

PECO Pallet’s Hazleton depot opened in 2013. In addition to sorting, repairing, storing, and reissuing pallets, the state-of-the-art depot also provides a place to develop new processes to deliver higher levels of pallet quality, service, and safety across all facilities in PECO’s North American network.

October 24, 2017. Electrolux on climate change A-List

Electrolux has been named one of the top 5 % corporate global leaders acting against climate change. The company has been awarded a position on the 2017 Climate A List by CDP, the international non-profit. It is the second year in a row Electrolux gets this top recognition by CDP for its efforts to cut emissions, mitigate climate risks and develop the low-carbon economy.

“We have shown that an ambitious climate agenda together with a strong commitment to implementing goals in our manufacturing considerably reduces our CO2footprint. I am pleased that Electrolux is recognized for our efforts to improve our climate impact,” said Henrik Sundström, Head of Sustainability Affairs at Electrolux.

As part of its goal to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2020, the Electrolux Group has worked intensely in reducing its environmental footprint by shifting to renewables and optimizing the use of energy and other resources throughout its operations, as well as improving the energy efficiency of appliances. The company has pledged to achieve Zero Landfill at all of its sites by 2020.

In manufacturing, the average level of CO2emissions per unit produced has decreased by 25% since 2015 and the company has also set the goal that half of Electrolux energy used shall come from renewable sources by the year 2020.

CDP is an international non-profit that runs a global disclosure system for investors, companies, cities, states and regions to manage their environmental impacts. Thousands of companies submit annual climate disclosures to CDP for independent assessment against its scoring methodology. The Climate A List is released alongside the Water A List and Forests A List on CDP’s website, accompanied with case studies from leading companies. This is the first year that CDP has announced company scores across all three areas simultaneously, reflecting a holistic approach to corporate sustainability.

Read more about the Climate A List here . Read more about Electrolux sustainability framework For the Better here .

IFCO recently held its annual meeting in Tampa, FL, home to its North American headquarters. Southern Produce Weeklysat down with Chief Executive Officer Wolfgang Orgeldinger for a chat about the company’s past, present and future, and its contributions to the environment and economy.

The attractiveness of real-time tracking for controlled and valuable products is becoming increasingly evident. Case in point, AstraZeneca has awarded an important contract extension to award-winning healthcare logistics provider Yusen Logistics for the global distribution of its products. As a Strategic Global Freight Partner to AstraZeneca, Yusen handles product throughout the manufacturing process, from active ingredient and bulk materials to prescription drugs.

The Yusen solution is based around its European Pharma Superhighway road network, with movements managed by its ‘Control Tower’. This allows centralized planning of pan-European transport movements to maximise vehicle utilization and reduce costs, whilst ensuring product integrity at all times. The Control Tower also manages air movements via strategic gateways at Schiphol, Frankfurt, and Chicago, as well as ocean movements to and from Europe, supported by Yusen’s GDP licensed warehouses in Antwerp and the UK, which deliver strategic storage and Customs Clearance capabilities.

The Pharma Superhighway currently carries circa 250,000 pallets for AstraZeneca, all of which are real-time tracked with full temperature monitoring, from its manufacturing plants and third party manufacturers to over 100 destinations in Europe and 50 countries worldwide.

The two companies have been working in close partnership since 2007 when Yusen Logistics was appointed to work with AstraZeneca on the creation of a lean supply chain. Since that time, Yusen has consistently demonstrated year on year cost savings and service enhancements.

Andy Fitt, Deputy MD Yusen Logistics (UK) commented: “This renewal underlines the continued evolution of our collaboration with AstraZeneca. As a long-standing partner we are continuing to proactively deliver service and quality enhancements on a local, regional and global basis.”

Julian Wann, Global Category Lead: Freight & Logistics, at AZ, commented: “We are delighted to continue and further develop our strategic partnership with Yusen Logistics, working together to support AZ’s business objectives.”

“KraussMaffei says six donors led by reusable packaging producer Monoflo International of Winchester, Va., accounted for 80 percent of the total. Other major donations came in from Proper Group International of Warren, Mich.; Sussex IM of Sussex, Wis.; Rehrig Pacific Co. of Los Angeles; MGS Mfg. Group of Germantown, Wis.; and Cobra Plastics Inc. of Macedonia, Ohio.”

Continually increasing costs of raw materials are now impacting on the price of wooden pallet and packaging products from the UK and Ireland, says the Timber Packaging & Pallet Confederation (TIMCON).

The Markit/CIPS report released at the start of October shows the price of pallet timber has increased for the 14th consecutive month, the price of nails has risen for 16 months running and the price of both new and recycled wooden pallets is also now rising.

Stuart Hex, TIMCON general secretary, said buoyant alternative markets creating a scarcity of imported timber and an unfavourable exchange were two causes of the problem. He added that with no nail manufacturing industry left in the UK, domestic manufacturers are sourcing nails from the EU and even further afield, which has compounded the exchange rate effect further.

“TIMCON monitors the market continuously and we’ve seen timber prices escalating since the start of 2016,” he said. “This year alone, UK and Irish pallet timber has increased by more than 10 per cent and the Baltic by even more.” In the long-term, the price of timber has been modest and increases usually ease off in the winter months, but the price has continued to rise during this period, he added.

“Approximately 70 per cent of pallet costs are timber, so these unrelenting increases are now clearly having to be fed into the selling prices of timber pallets and packaging. These increases not only affect new pallets, packaging and repairs, they also increase demands for reconditioned pallets which is leading to supply issues.

“As exchange rates and inflation continue to have an effect, price rises are currently occurring across many other industries, in alternative materials, for example. This is a general problem, but the very high cost of materials in the pallet industry makes it impossible to fully absorb increases on this scale. The wooden pallet and packaging industry is working closely with its customers to manage this situation. “Wooden pallets and packaging remain by far the most economic choice, not to mention the most environmentally sustainable.

October 10, 2017. Demand for food and drink packaging in North America will continue to expand and add new functionalities across the next 5 years according to the latest exclusive market research from Smithers Pira.

Increasingly, food and drink packaging is expected to be recyclable and lightweight, i.e. manufactured with as little material as possible. Lack of recyclability is one of the key reasons US municipalities are increasingly moving to ban products such as expanded polystyrene/Styrofoam food packaging, with brand owners switching to more environmentally friendly materials, like paperboard. A parallel trend extending into the future will be greater use of materials sourced in a sustainable manner. Plastic packaging, in particular, will be affected by the greater availability of commercial packaging grade bioplastics and enthusiasm for brands to make use of them.

Packaged food and drink sales via North American retail channels grew by an annual consumption trends average of 2.3% between 2012 and 2016, reaching 549.57 billion packs. By 2022, consumption is forecast to reach 659. 34 billion packs, representing yearly growth of 3.1% from present levels.

Between 2016 and 2022, Mexican sales of packaged food and drink rose to 3.5%, outpacing both the US and Canada. Across 2017-2022, annual growth is expected to increase to 4.8% in Mexico, meaning its share of total regional consumption will grow to 22.6% – up from 20.5% at present. Much of this will occur at the expense of the US, whose share of the regional total is set to fall from 73% in 2016 to 71.2% in 2022.

In the years leading up to, growth is likely to be most apparent within the foil trays sector, averaging at more than 6% per annum. Demand for paperboard lids and trays is also expected to grow steadily, largely due to environmental concerns as these products take share from plastic containers in both retail and foodservice sales. Future growth is expected to be very marginal in mature sectors, such as glass bottles and jars.

The report highlights trends and dynamics within the North American market for food and drink packaging. The market data is segmented by pack type, end use, and country. The report analyses the dynamics of each market, as well as reviewing the key trends driving consumer demand.

October 9, 2017. CHEP and Eckes-Granini Germany: Five-year contract

CHEP and the leading fruit juice producer Eckes-Granini Germany continue their successful cooperation: Their existing three-year contract has been extended for another five years. Eckes-Granini Germany uses both CHEP euro and half-pallets as well as the CHEP quarter pallets to present their fruit-based products in the retail trade and to provide a platform for successful promotions.

“The extension of the contract clearly reflects the great reliability of CHEP in the entire supply chain,” explains Steffen Riedel, Head of Logistics at Eckes-Granini Deutschland GmbH. “CHEP is a service partner for the entire supply chain, which offers a significant added value due to its excellent network with traders and manufacturers. CHEP’s high standards in terms of sustainability and the solution portfolio make the company a favorite for our supply chain. ”

Sustainable and profitable partnership

An important reason for the extension of the cooperation with CHEP was the environmental aspect for Eckes-Granini Germany. Pallet rental is more environmentally friendly, more efficient and more profitable than the conventional exchange procedure. During pooling, pallets are carefully inspected and repaired if necessary after each delivery cycle. Due to their consistently high quality, the pallets remain longer in circulation, which reduces CO2 emissions and waste. In addition, all wood for CHEP pallets is 100% FSC / PEFC certified and comes from sustainably managed forests. At the end of their useful life, all CHEP pallets are completely recycled.

Eckes-Granini Germany also benefits from the efficient and dense network of logistical experts. The short distances between manufacturers, dealers and the CHEP service centers reduces the transport distance and thus reduce CO2 emissions.

By using several hundred thousand CHEP pallets in the pooling program, Eckes-Granini Germany can potentially save up to 56% CO2, 72% wood and a total of 77% waste in landfill sites. “We not only profit from the consistently high quality of the load carriers. Also, the pallet pooling of CHEP offers many advantages over other service providers “, reports Steffen Riedel.

Kai Derda, Managing Director of CHEP Deutschland GmbH, says: “The contract extension with Eckes-Granini Germany proves once again that the pooling system from CHEP is one of the most efficient carrier solutions on the market. Customers not only save costs and administrative expenses but also invest in the environment. This aspect is particularly important to both CHEP and Eckes-Granini Germany – after all, both companies are certified with the Lean and Green Star. We are pleased that our partnership is going to the next round. ”

Polymer Logistics, a global leader in reusable packaging and merchandising solutions, will present innovative products and services for transport packaging, retail and promotional display, and asset management at the 2017 PMA Fresh Summit October 20-21, 2017.

“The comprehensive range of products and services offered by Polymer Logistics help to strengthen the total produce supply chain through innovative design, sustainable and efficient operations, unsurpassed quality and freshness, enhanced shopper experience, and asset management systems,” said Fred Heptinstall, CEO of Polymer Logistics North America. “The result for our partner growers and retail customers is increased shopper satisfaction and profitable growth.”

Polymer Logistics reusable transport packaging, including both black and wood grain RPCs, is uniquely designed for superior product protection, stacking strength and stability, optimal air flow, and operational efficiency. With five state-of-the-art service centers across North America, Polymer Logistics delivers outstanding customer service along with a continuous loop of clean, fresh, ready-to-use RPCs.

New products being featured at PMA Fresh Summit include the Home Shopping Crate, which optimizes the transport of fresh food and groceries in e-commerce supply chains; a modular spill-over display that can be used to extend the primary produce table or as a stand-alone unit in a secondary display location; a larger produce fixture for displaying high volume seasonal fruits and vegetables; and a modular display solution for enhanced presentation of floral products. All these packaging and merchandising solutions can be ordered in the color that best complements your store décor.

To see these new products and more, stop by the Polymer Logistics booth #5629 on the expo floor at the 2017 PMA Fresh Summit.

October 6, 2017. Supply chain management services provider LEAP India says it is raising another ₹100 crore debt from banks (US$15.27 million) to take the current pallet count from 1 to 3 million in the next three years, according to reports in the Indian press.

“We have invested ₹110 crore equity raised in the last three years and ₹70 crore debt raised in manufacturing and deploying of pallets and Foldable Large Containers (FLC). We are now raising another ₹100 crore debt from banks to take the current pallet count from 1 to 3 million in the next three years,” LEAP India Managing Director Sunu Mathew is quoted. “He stated that Leap intends to take a significant market share in the asset pooling space, “which otherwise has been a highly fragmented and unorganized market.”

Honeywell Intelligrated showcased its Palmat™ pallet conveyor at PACK EXPO 2017. Palmat features heavy-duty plastic belting with a patented automatic belt take-up system to offer an alternative to rollers and chains for safe and reliable transportation of column-stacked or unitized loads on slip sheets, along with molded or specialty pallets.

Ideal for applications with fragile or unstable loads, the self-tracking, the fully-supported belt is an especially effective solution for handling empty containers in preparation for fill lines in food and beverage operations. Available with smooth or non-skid belting in single, full-width or multiple strands, Palmat can support operations serving multiple international markets with different load configurations and pallet types.

Palmat is part of the full line of standard and custom pallet conveyor systems from Honeywell Intelligrated. Offerings include chain and driven roller conveyor for both accumulation and transportation applications, turns and transfers, and auxiliary products to enable peak operational performance and efficiency. Honeywell Intelligrated provides these pallet handling solutions as standalone components or as part of fully integrated material handling systems, with easy-to-use controls and software designed to interface with host systems.

The business serves more than 60 of the top 100 global retailers, including more than half of the top 100 internet retailers. More information on Honeywell Intelligrated can be found at http://www.intelligrated.com.

PalletOne, Inc. (“PalletOne”), America’s largest new pallet manufacturer, has purchased North East Texas Pallet, a pallet manufacturer located in Clarksville, Texas.

“I am happy to join the PalletOne team. The Company’s national presence provides many growth opportunities for the Clarksville operation,” said Lance Downs, the former owner.

“We are excited to expand our market share in Texas, added PalletOne Chief Executive Officer Howe Wallace. “This acquisition enhances our operational efficiency and customer service. We are proud to have such a capable group of managers and employees join our team and excited Lance will continue with the company as a part of our leadership team.”

Founded in 1989, North East Texas Pallet primarily served customers in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Kansas. Producing over 100 truckloads weekly, the Clarksville facility manufactures standard, block and export pallets.

Organized in 2001 from predecessor companies, PalletOne now operates 17 locations in 9 states and manufactures new pallets, repairs and recycles used pallets and produces a variety of other wood products.

PalletOne’s operations include Sunbelt Forest Products Corporation, one of the largest producers of pressure-treated lumber and residential fencing in the Southeast. Sunbelt operates four plants in Florida and Alabama. The combined operations of PalletOne processes more than 500 million board feet of lumber annually and employs more than 1,500 people at 21 locations. To find out more, visit https://www.palletone.com.

Pregis announced its “title” sponsorship of the Automotive Packaging Summit, the inaugural event focused on helping OEMs and their suppliers find solutions specific to this market segment’s needs, according to Packaging World. The event will be held Oct. 12-13, Greenville, SC.

Branded the Automotive Packaging Summit, brought to you by Pregis, speakers, panelists, and confirmed attendees include representatives from BMW, Honda, Mercedes Benz, Nissan, Proterra, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo. The summit brings subject matter experts and industry leaders together for both visionary keynote presentations for tomorrow’s strategy and practical insights on supply chain tactics for today. The goal is for OEMs and Tier 1 part suppliers to discuss, collaborate, and unveil innovations within the packaging value chain.

Just prior to Brandemonium 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio, Sun Chemical and the Fibre Box Association (FBA) will co-sponsor a special event called “Reimagining Brand Communication” on October 9th from 3:30-6:30 p.m. at the American Sign Museum.

During the informative cocktail reception, a panel of industry experts will offer insights into the changing role of brands, explain how designing for brands has evolved, explore key design elements to consider when designing packaging, discover new ways brands can communicate beyond the package, and provide insights and trends in retail.

Presenting speakers at the event include:

Alison Gough, US Senior Analyst, Stylus,

Bill Donabedian, Co-Founder, Brandemonium,

Bryan Goodpaster, Senior Creative Director, Trends & Foresight, LPK,

Tim Bergwall, Group President, Grief Inc., and

Russell Schwartz, Chief Technology Officer, Sun Chemical.

Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in an interactive question and answer session with the speaker panel.

“Sun Chemical is excited to be a part of this first-ever premier kick-off event to Brandemonium and to participate with such a knowledgeable, insightful, and exciting panel of creative branding experts,” said Penny Holland, Vice President, Marketing, North American Inks, Sun Chemical. “With our Chief Technology Officer, Russel Schwartz, as a panelist, attendees will have the unique opportunity to learn about Sun Chemical’s innovative approach to providing customers with branding and packaging solutions.”

“Changes in consumer shopping habits, the rise of e-commerce, and recent advances in digital printing technology in the corrugated industry are converging to offer new opportunities for brand messaging and engagement with consumers,” said Rachel Kenyon, Vice President of the Fibre Box Association. “This event will provide a great overview of how brands can maximize the impact of their packaging by utilizing the newest and best inks, substrates and printing technologies, to better capitalize on an evolving retail landscape.”

To learn more about “Reimagining Brand Communication” or to reserve a spot at the complimentary event on October 9th from 3:30-6:30 p.m. at the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, Ohio, visit www.bxpmagazine.com/communicating-the-brand.

September 21, 2017. CHEP Invests EUR 600,000 in Reconditioning Line. CHEP Romania has invested EUR 600,000 in a semi-automatic line for its service center in Ploiesti, in partnership with New Zealand based Mainfreight. The automation will boost its capacity by 70%. Turnover in the last full year was EUR 11.6 million, a jump of 35% year-on-year.

The service center’s automation will help increase productivity by almost 70%, CHEP Romania country manager Gabriel Andronescu said. The company recorded a turnover of RON 53.7 million (EUR 11.6 million) from renting reusable pallets in the financial year that ended on June 30. Its turnover increased by 35% year-on-year.

September 15, 2017. Ron Margulis, the PR representative for Paxxal Inc., an innovative provider of shipping platforms, sends a note that Paxxal is highlighting the many features of its new North American pallet at PackExpo 2017. The newly designed North American pallet is made from a 100% recyclable patentedcomposite material using a unique automated rotational molding process that enables cost-efficient mass production. The Paxxal Pallet exceeds all of the North America GMA specifications, weighs less than 50 lbs. and features a full range of productivity, sustainability and operational benefits for users.

“The unique, leading-edge design of the Paxxal Pallet is specifically tailored to today’s changing pallet market. It is produced by exceptional engineering and design, revolutionary materials and patented roto-molding technology. It is one of the most durable, lightweight, cost-effective pallets available in the multi-use plastic pallet market,” said Ben Stoller, Executive Managing Director of Paxxal Inc.

Building on a 33-year history of innovation, the Pallet Design System™ (PDS) development team of software and structural engineers applied new, state-of-the-art, engineering and analysis techniques not previously used in the pallet industry. ANSYS™ simulation and 3-D modeling software were used as a tool to test and verify structural engineering models. The extensive modeling and testing ensure PDS users have access to the most advanced and accurate technology available for the design of wood pallets.

The robust engineering enables a much more refined analysis that allows for higher levels of pallet design optimization, additional analysis capabilities, and paves the way for future development of PDS. Additionally, PDS 5.3 provides automated calculations of stacking patterns for containers on a pallet, or custom positioning of individual containers and a new strapping slot analysis for deck boards and stringers. The lateral collapse resistance analysis is also more detailed than previous versions.

“Our latest research and development has led to enhanced structural models for this release of PDS,” commented Kristen DeLack, PE, PDS Structural Engineer. “With these advancements, PDS now reports when the connection strength is the “critical member” that limits the strength of the pallet,” added DeLack.

For those who remanufacture pallets, the release of PDS 5.3 also enables users to analyze recycled pallets with notched stringers (except RAL and 4 Corner support conditions). “This was a very popular request among current PDS users that our team worked hard to develop this past year,” said Dr. Brad Gething, NWPCA Director of Science & Technology Integration.

The release of version 5.3 also coincides with the recent NWPCA announcement of the development of new user interface and print-out report materials in four additional languages: Spanish, French, Italian and German, to be completed in two phases by summer 2018.

The NWPCA is dedicating significant resources as part of the implementation of our strategic plan to ensure that PDS remains cutting-edge technology and further solidifies PDS as the global standard for unit load pallet design. Shane Thompson, NWPCA’s Board Chair added, “Expect to see more from the PDS development team for 2018. NWPCA and The Pallet Foundation investments, totaling nearly $1.5 million over the next two years, will advance our industry and benefit each of our companies, as we make PDS the international language for pallet design.”

September 10, 2017. Range Board appoints Mr. Jon Guyett as CEO. Range International, the manufacturer of Re>Pal recycled plastic pallets, the Australian-listed company that utilizes proprietary technology to convert low-cost mixed plastic waste into plastic pallets which it offers at a similar price to wood, is pleased to announce the conclusion of its comprehensive search for a new Chief Executive Officer with the appointment of Mr. Jon Guyett to the role. His appointment is expected to start on October 1.

Mr. Guyett has extensive experience working throughout Asia in the manufacturing and supply chain sectors having been based in Asia for the last eight years, most recently as Global VP Marketing and Business Development at Hayco Group, a manufacturer of high-quality plastic devices. Prior to that, he was a member of group management at DKSH, where he held senior regional Business Unit and Global Supply Chain Management positions.

Prior to coming to Asia, Mr. Guyett spent seven years based in the USA in a number of roles including Global Logistics Practice Leader with ICG Commerce (now Accenture), and before that as President of a logistics start-up. He was formerly Head of Global Logistics at GE Energy and prior to that he worked with DHL Express Logistics in various general management, business development, key account management and logistics operations leadership roles around the world.

Mr. Guyett has over 25 years of executive experience both at board and senior leadership levels. His functional skills span general management, supply chain, manufacturing, sales and client management.

Mr. Guyett will not become a director of the Company in the short term. This will allow him to focus on the immediate needs of the business.

Announcing Mr. Guyett’s appointment, chair Mark Daniel stated, “I welcome Jon to the team. He has a strong understanding of market and customer needs and a long track record of success in the manufacturing and supply chain sector. He is a valuable addition to the team to drive the business forward at a time when we are building
significant momentum across our key markets. I am confident that with Jon at the helm, Range is well placed to fulfill its ambitions.”

“I am delighted to join Range International,” Mr. Guyett stated. “It is a company with enormous potential and I very much look forward to leading the company into a very prosperous future.”

September 5, 2017. Loadhog enters hazardous waste management container market. Loadhog, the multi award-winning transit packaging innovator, has broken into the market of removing and transporting hazardous waste, including liquids, with a reusable container with one of the highest UN certifications on the market in this category.

The extra strong, yet lightweight, container was developed meticulously by the Sheffield-based manufacturer, utilizing its in-house improvement and test engineers, for industrial and commercial use or storage. The certification was given by an external laboratory whose harsh tests proved that the container could withstand dropping and stacking.

The container is easy to handle and available in three depths, each capable of carrying up to 45kg. Their attached lids allow vertical nesting which saves up to 10% transport costs when returning empties. The lids provide more flexibility than others in Europe for the safe storage and transport of dangerous goods, such as in recycling centers and used batteries storage.

Manufactured in hi-visibility orange polypropylene, with branding available and a permanently attached red strap, each container has a600mm x 400mm footprint, with a choice of 310, 365 or 400mm depth.

More cost-effective than a UN certified cardboard box, the Loadhog container is reusable with an inner bag and tie, also UN certified, which can be incinerated with its contents.

The new Loadhog container is already proving popular with waste management companies across the UK and Europe and the company’s France-based distributor reports increasing demand.

K.Hartwall makes massive investments in new manufacturing equipment. To further improve quality and efficiency, K. Hartwall reports in its blog that it has invested in the cutting-edge laser cutter, wire processing, and welding techniques.

LT Fiber tube laser cutter

K. Hartwall has purchased two new wire processing machines: a Wafios R45 wire straightener and cutter with double pay off stations and a Numalliance FTX13 wire 3D bender. Both machines, which were installed this spring, are the latest technology in their field with extremely fast set-ups and running speed. Also, the 3D bender will give new possibilities to develop innovative solutions using wire.

In June, K. Hartwall’s second LT Fiber tube laser cutter was installed. A remarkable feature of this new machine is an active scanning process which checks any deviation on the tube and makes automatic adjustments to the cutting parameters to improve precision and quality. At the same time, the production speed has been increased by close to 70%.

The company also has added two new robot welding cells: one installed at the end of last year and the other during August. They enable the manufacture of larger products especially for postal and automotive customers.

K. Hartwall has also heavily invested in new welding equipment. A year ago it decided to upgrade some of its robots with the latest welding technique from Fronius. They are the leading welding equipment developer. The result has been a lot of improvements both in welding speed and quality. Power efficiency has increased a lot, reducing energy consumption. Additionally, the new technology allows the possibility of welding a range of metals, including steel, aluminum, stainless and pre-galvanized steel.

September 5, 2017. Market-leading food contact conference, Plastics & Paper in Contact with Foodstuffs, takes place this December in Berlin.

Over 200 experts from across the food contact industry will come together in Berlin, Germany from 4 – 7 December 2017 to attend Smithers Pira’s Plastics & Paper in Contact with Foodstuffs (P&P) –http://www.food-contact.com/plastics-paper. With the European Commission having recently published EU regulation 752/2017 amending EU Regulation 10/2011 on plastic materials and articles intended for food contact, all areas of the food contact supply chain need to be aware of the new changes in legislation, especially when dealing with goods to be exported within various countries in the EU.

Plastics and Paper in Contact with Foodstuffs will provide an in-depth and timely overview of the latest EU legislation as well as a small focus on global regulations. Described as “The most important event in Europe on Food Contact Regulations” by Dario Dainelli at SIT Group, Italy, the conference provides delegates with a unique opportunity to stay ahead of the latest regulations in food contact, network with like-minded professionals and discover best practice in the industry. Companies speaking at the event will include BASF, Nestlé Nespresso S.A., SABIC, The Valspar Corporation, Metsä Board, CEPI and more.

Delegates to the conference will also be able to book themselves onto a thought-provoking, expert led pre-conference workshop organised by 3E Company, taking place on Monday 4th December, which will cover food contact and additives regulations in China.

September 1, 2017. PMMI U On the Road’s upcoming workshops will be held at PACK EXPO Las Vegas (Sept. 25-27; Las Vegas Convention Center). Show attendees arriving early can benefit from Risk Assessment Workshops offered before the show floor opens. These workshops will include risk assessment basics, legal implications, and assessment deployment. Because many end users require risk assessments in the procurement process, PACK EXPO Las Vegas is an ideal opportunity for exhibitors to ensure their equipment meets safety requirements.

Additionally, a 2-day Certified Trainer workshop will take place during PACK EXPO Las Vegas. These workshops give companies the strategies to train employees effectively across skill levels, enhancing job performance and safety standards for exhibitors at the show. Certified Trainers who have already completed the training may become Senior and Master Certified Trainers, provided they meet the qualifications for recertification.

Penn State RAIN grant winners Kelli Hoover and John Janowiak show the damage to an ash log from the invasive emerald ash borer. Hoover, an entomologist, and Janowiak, a wood products professor, have developed a unique heat treatment that kills insects throughout wood in one minute, and won a $75,000 RAIN grant to commercialize their invention.

August 22, 2017. Penn State Develops New Process for Killing Destructive Wood Pests A Penn State research team working on a new, energy-efficient treatment to kill destructive insects in wood, has won a $75,000 Research Applications for Innovation, or RAIN, grants to bring their discoveries to market. It was one of two winners, along with a tomato research project.

The College of Agricultural Sciences awards the grants through its Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program.

John Janowiak, professor of wood products engineering, processing and manufacturing, and Kelli Hoover, professor of entomology, discovered a way to kill destructive pests, such as the emerald ash borer and the pinewood nematode, in wood for pallets and other shipping components.

Janowiak and Hoover developed a patent-pending, wood-treatment chamber that heats wood in a unique configuration using radio frequency waves, making the process energy-efficient. The radio frequency treatment works like a microwave oven — both are types of dielectric heating — but radio frequency can penetrate several meters into wood while microwaves cannot.

“We believe this technological innovation has significant ramifications to help control new pest introductions from destroying our extremely valuable forests and urban tree ecosystems, which would eliminate further multi-billion-dollar economic losses from destructive pests like emerald ash borer,” Janowiak said.

“If they can’t use wooden pallets anymore, that’s a really big hit to the wood industry,” Janowiak explained. “What do we do with 40 percent of our logs if we can’t put them into wooden shipping pallets?”

Since 2013, the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program at the College of Agricultural Sciences has awarded more than $1 million in RAIN grants to 16 projects showing commercial progress.

RAIN funding helps researchers overcome hurdles to commercialize their discoveries. The money can be used to complete trials and experiments that demonstrate a new product or process will work — known as “proof of concept” — and validate a discovery’s economic viability and market potential.

Source: Penn State

New location will service Crēdo™ on Demand rental program, including new pallet accepting device, Crēdo™ Cargo

August 22, 2017. Pelican BioThermal, the global temperature controlled packaging provider, announced the grand opening of their first service center in Puerto Rico taking place Aug. 24. The new facility will serve as additional depots for the company’s Crēdo™ on Demand rental program, which now offers the Crēdo™ Cargo, Pelican BioThermal’s newest reusable bulk shipper.“We expect those looking to transport bulk shipments for the pharmaceutical manufacturing and life sciences industries to find benefits in both our new service center and the addition of Crēdo Cargo to Crēdo on Demand,” said David Williams, president of Pelican BioThermal. “Those facing challenging shipping lanes will now be able to access a reliable and reusable option at a key pharmaceutical manufacturing and transfer hub.”

The new facilities in Puerto Rico will also be part of an expanding number of worldwide service centers providing options for Pelican BioThermal’s Crēdo on Demand program, including conditioning and end of rental drop-off. The rental service offers daily, monthly and other rental terms, including qualification reports and clean, freshly-refurbished Crēdo Cargo or Crēdo™ Xtreme shippers.

In addition to serving as depots for the company’s Crēdo on Demand rental program, the new Puerto Rico service center will enable global Pelican BioThermal clients to receive and return reusable temperature controlled packaging systems. The new location complements the existing and expanding network of depots servicing key hubs for pharmaceutical manufacturing and transfer activities and is available to customers worldwide. This includes the recently announced Pelican BioThermal service center in Belgium.

The next generation of warehouse automation is a work in progress. Portable shelving units transported to order pickers are increasingly being seen. Now, a report from Huffington Post describes a project from KIT at the Amazon’ Robotic Challenge – new shelf units being designed with movable containers on tracks, which a robotic gripper can reposition to grab the desired item. Still not quite ready for prime time.

August 18, 2017. West Walla Farm has introduced “keep cartons”, reusable egg cartons that can be refilled at farmers’ markets and the farm gate, according to a news report. Owner Tobias Lehmann said more than one million dozen eggs were eaten every day in Australia.

“That is a lot of cartons and packaging heading to landfill, even if most of it is recyclable,” he said. “Egg cartons weigh about 60 grams each, so if you quickly do the sums, that equates to about 24 million tonnes of waste a year.

August 14, 2017. NWPCA Announces PDS Technology Integration with Cape Machinery. NWPCA and CAPE Machinery, a leading Spanish woodworking machinery manufacturer and developer, have entered into a two-year agreement that will provide a seamless integration of the Pallet Design System™ (PDS) software with CAPE’s world-class pallet production machines.

One of the key elements of NWPCA’s strategic mission is the proliferation of the PDS System. “Not only is the PDS System the most effective pallet design system available, it’s worldwide acceptance and use provides a meaningful economic stream to the Association thus enabling NWPCA to itself do more for the industry,” said NWPCA Chair, Shane Thompson.

With the licensing agreement, PDS software will be integrated into CAPE’s automated production process for new, refurbished and retrofitted pallet production machines, with international customers purchasing CAPE machinery receiving a one-year license for PDS. “The global footprint of PDS continues to rapidly expand, and this agreement between NWPCA and CAPE further solidifies PDS’ market leadership position as the industry standard for pallet design,” added NWPCA President and CEO, Brent McClendon.

August 9, 2017. The upcoming World Congress on Active and Intelligent Packaging has launched a dedicated website at https://events.bizzabo.com/aipia2017/home. Here you can find all the 36 presentations and mark them in your agenda, check out the speaker profiles, be part of the AIPIA Community and register for the congress of course. By the way, now is the best time to register if you haven’t done this yet. We do have limited space available and we will be fully booked. If you register, please share it on your social media in order to get a 10% discount. Thanks!

See you in Amsterdam in November.

Kind regards,

Eef de Ferrante
AIPIA Director

August 8, 2017. The National Wooden Pallet & Container Association (NWPCA) has announced the development of new capabilities for PDS that provides user interface and print-out report materials in four additional languages: Spanish, French, Italian and German.

The commitment to incorporate additional languages further solidifies PDS as the global standard for unit load pallet design. Brent McClendon, NWPCA’s President and CEO commented, “PDS is rapidly becoming the international language for pallet design. These specific language selections fit seamlessly with our rapid global expansion and future plans, while helping provide additional value to our diverse user-profile in North America.”

Shane Thompson, NWPCA’s Board Chair concurred, “NWPCA’s Board of Directors is investing heavily to expand the value of PDS to current licensees, and the multi-lingual functionality and report materials will be incredibly valuable to all of our users, no matter where they are located. These are exciting times for our users, as languages are just one part of the new features coming to PDS in 2017 and 2018.”

August 8, 2017. Arena Products is introducing a new version of its patented Air-Evac® liquid liners. This new design is patent pending and represents performance levels not seen previously with thick product over 100,000 cps.

The new Apex Liner is capable of achieving less than 1% residual without manual manipulation. This unprecedented level of waste avoidance is the result of a new air chamber construction, using multiple compartments positioned in such a way that when inflated, the compartments form interfaces that squeeze product from between the film chambers. The Apex Air-Evac® liner continues to utilize standard shop air, existing air regulators, while ensuring no air touches the product as the chambers inflate.

This new and improved design can be configured with features such as a bottom fill and drain, irradiation, and barrier films. Versions of this new liner fit the Arena 330 Shipper™ as well as other containers.

It is available with a steamable valve which makes it suitable for aseptic filling and discharge. This configuration makes the Arena 330 Shipper™ System a low-cost alternate to stainless steel containers and has the additional benefit of collapsibility. The result is lower return freight cost and improved warehouse utilization. The all new Apex will be available for shipments beginning in the 1st quarter of 2018.

August 4, 2017. Prominent Automotive Logistics Leader Joins Surgere

Surgere, an industry leader in providing visibility and control within a digitized supply chain (RFID, Robotics, and advanced data analytics) has added Michael Silvio as Vice President of Logistics Innovation.

Silvio is an automotive executive with 25 years of experience in global supply chain management. His responsibilities included global logistics, customs, packaging, materials and purchasing. Silvio comes to Surgere most recently after fifteen years of experience as the Senior Director Supply Chain Management of Cooper Standard Automotive, Inc., a tier one supplier based in Novi, Michigan.

He has been an adjunct faculty member at the Mike Ilitch School of Business, Global Supply Chain Department, at Wayne State University in Detroit since 2013. He also sits on the Board of Directors of EWI Worldwide.

Silvio’s new role will put him at the helm of Surgere’s newest vertical, Logistics Innovation. This includes a new finished vehicle and yard management platform called Hawkeye. A solution that monitors a finished vehicle’s location and disposition by leveraging multiple tracking technologies and sensors to feed a cloud based analytics and asset management system. Currently rolling out at an OEM in Canton, Mississippi, the industry can now successfully move beyond barcodes and make data available for real-time and advanced analytics.

“I want to help Surgere grow and solve many of the supply chain problems I have experienced first-hand,” Silvio said. “I look forward to sharing the passion for the technology Surgere offers, and helping our clients achieve success on the bottom line.”

Over the next few months, Silvio will be presenting at events around the globe on a variety of topics including ‘The digital transformation of the automotive supply chain,’ ‘The smart packaging paradigm,’ and ‘Logistics Innovation and Impact.’

August 2, 2017. According to the research report, Global Returnable Packaging Market 2017-2021, the Global Returnable Packaging Market will grow at a CAGR of 7.05% during the period 2017-2021.

Surgere, Inc., a technology leader in automotive supply chain digitization, continues its exciting corporate expansion by welcoming Kyle Augsburger as Director of Project Management.Kyle will hold primary responsibility for the bulk of Surgere’s project relationships with its OEM client based in Marysville, Ohio. He will also direct other project managers as they deploy sensor-based technology programs across the automotive industry.

“Once we acquire an account, we help drive the project, mature the technology, support change management, and energize optimization by helping the client stay on track and focused. I want to make an immediate impact,” said Augsburger.

Surgere is committed to delivering world-class service and innovative solutions to the Automotive Industry. David Hampton, Vice President Global Operations at Surgere, underscored Kyle’s solid background in project management throughout the lifecycle, as well as experience with multiple Fortune 500 companies, which will make him an asset to Surgere; “Our projects are complex and demanding. We are glad to welcome such a solid team member, who can continue our successful performance for our clients.”

August 1, 2017. ISTA has announced upcoming webinars, including Innovating Your Innovation (August 17), ISTA 3A – Performance Testing for Single Parcel Delivery Systems (October 10), Over the Road Load Shift Investigative Case Study (October 19), and The Effect of a Non-Chemical Phytosanitary Treatment on the Packaging Integrity of Unitized Products to Prevent the International Spread of Invasive Plant and Animal Species. To find out more, click here.

July 31, 2017. Tippmann Innovation (Ti) is offering new volume pricing onits T2 Spacer System which allows unit loads of products to be frozen up to 40% faster than other systems. The crush-proof design provides consistent airflow, which eliminates partial freezing and reduces purge during tempering. The new pricing of $16 each is offered on pallet quantities of 150 pieces, FOB Ft. Wayne, IN. If ordering in quantities of 6,000 pieces or more the price drops to $12 each and includes delivery in the continental U.S. The T2 Spacers are offered in 2 styles, allowing the spacers to work in the patented QF+ In-Rack Freezing System as well as in a traditional blast cell. Both designs offer single axis channels, which direct airflow for faster freezing. The crush-proof spacers which have been traditionally offered in black, now ship in gray only.

A prominent EU lobbyist will present his prognosis for Brexit at the annual general meeting of the Timber Packaging & Pallet Confederation (TIMCON) next month. Daniel Guéguen, Head of Strategy and Lobbying at Brussels-based training and consultancy firm PACT European Affairs, will present an overview to TIMCON members of key European issues that will affect the packaging and pallet business, along with his strong opinions about the likely pathway and outcome of the forthcoming Brexit negotiations.

TIMCON president John Dye said: “The Brexit vote last year continues to cause uncertainty for businesses of all types and we are really looking forward to hearing Mr Guéguen’s thoughts on what is ahead and how this will impact on our sector. It should be an extremely interesting session.

“This is one of the informative and thought-provoking presentations we have on the agm and part of TIMCON’s ongoing activities to keep its members up to date with the latest information about the market.”

The TIMCON meeting will take place in Dublin, Ireland on Monday 4th and Tuesday 5th of September. There will also be presentations on Irish forests and Irish pallet and packaging industry; opportunities and challenges in the Irish sawmilling industry; and updates from the Timber Trade Federation (TTF) and European Federation of Wooden
Pallet & Packaging Manufacturers (FEFPEB).

In a pooled system, the pallet manufacturer (RM2) retains ownership and tracks each pallet between destinations. A small percentage of pallets are typically lost during normal use. Lost pallets require replacements, which increases cost, resource usage, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Enter RM2’s collaboration with AT&T: RM2 provided a unique pallet tracking solution that addressed this challenge called RM2ELIoT, which pairs the pallets with AT&T’s LTE-M Low-Power Wide-Area network. This approach allows for wireless tracking in areas difficult to monitor, such as inside warehouses, in underground storage areas, in remote locations, or en route on trains, trucks or trailers. While there are other pallets on the market with tracking systems, they have historically been limited to users physically scanning the pallets at each step in the delivery process. AT&T’s LTE-M network eliminates the need for manual scanning.

July 25, 2017. EPAL Euro pallets continue their road to success: 10% growth in the second quarter of 2017

The production of EPAL Euro pallets increased by 10% in the first two quarters of 2017 compared to the previous year. In the first six months of this year, 42.5 million EPAL Euro pallets were produced worldwide. There was also an increase in the number of repairs: +11.5%, with 13.7 million repaired EPAL pallets in the first six months of 2017.

The constantly increasing production over the last four years, since the “EPAL in oval” mark has been branded on all four blocks, is the unique success story of the EPAL Euro pallet, which represents quality, safety, and sustainability. In 2015 for the first time, the 100 million mark was achieved for EPAL pallets produced and repaired worldwide and in the following year even exceeded with 105.5 million EPAL pallets in total.

Martin Leibrandt, CEO of EPAL, “I would never have thought that EPAL could top the historic result of 2015, but the users of EPAL pallets’ trust is unwavering, growing all the time. At EPAL we are very proud of this and would like to sincerely thank all users of EPAL Euro pallets.”

July 25, 2017. Kegstar, part of global supply-chain company Brambles, has acquired Keg Lease Pty Ltd (“Keg Lease”), a specialist keg leasing company focused on the Australian craft beer industry, from the Meddings Family on 25 July 2017. Through the acquisition, Kegstar plans to incorporate the Keg Lease activities and existing keg fleet into its current operations to provide customers with the flexibility of both keg rental (pooling) and keg leasing services.

Keg Lease began operations in December 2012 as part of Meddings’ portfolio of businesses that operate under the Bintani brand and, as at 30 June 2017, owned over 21,000 kegs that are currently leased to over 125 customers.

Kegstar first launched in 2012 with 880 kegs, one person, and one customer. Global supply chain logistics company Brambles acquired a 30% stake in Kegstar in March 2014 and took complete ownership on 1 December 2015. In Australia and New Zealand, Kegstar now owns in excess of 120,000 kegs that it rents to more than 200 customers each year. Kegstar also has operations in the United Kingdom and Ireland and launched in the USA in April 2017.

July 24, 2017. The National Wooden Pallet and Container Association (NWPCA) has announced its annual fall plant tours, taking place November 8 and 9, 2017, in Houston, Texas. This program includes extensive networking over two full days with educational sessions, table top exhibits, and four plant tours.

Due to the popularity of previous plant tours, and limited hotel availability, early registration is strongly recommended. “Early Bird” Registration available through August 31, 2017. Follow this link to register.

Tours include:

PASADENA SKID & PALLET, INC.The company manufactures wood pallets and other products for approximately 50 major customers and inventory stock for many of these accounts in order to meet Just-in-Time deliveries as required. They deliver pallets, skids, and other products all over Greater Houston-Ship Channel Areas areas as well as Southeast Texas and Louisiana.

UNIPAL INTERNATIONAL, LTD.
The company is a manufacturer of corrugated pallets and containers.

July 24, 2017. Contraload provides an entertaining take on the history of pooling in this video.

In early July, Range International, the manufacturer of Re>Pal(TM) plastic pallets, announced that Lars Amstrup had tendered his resignation as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. The company’s Chairman, Mark Daniel, was appointed Interim CEO, while Matthew Darby, the company founder, and Executive Director, assumed responsibility for production.

Daniel was President of China Merchants Loscam International from 2008 until 2015. Darby invented Reach’s ThermoFusion(TM) technology, which enables it to produce plastic pallets from a mixed plastic waste stream in its Indonesia manufacturing plant. Other recycled plastic pallets, it stated, require separation of different types of resin. Because of its low-cost material, the company has stated that it can match wood pallet prices. It sees itself as a practical solution for diverting mixed plastic waste from landfills.

July 19, 2017. NWPCA to Develop a Fire Code Compliance Manual. The National Wooden Pallet & Container Association (NWPCA) has initiated the development of a Fire Code Compliance manual to address the revised requirements for outdoor pallet storage. The new requirements are part of the 2018 editions of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA 1) and the International Fire Code (IFC) of the International Code Council that specifically address the wood and composite wood pallet manufacturing and recycling facilities.

Coinciding with the NWPCA’s “Year of Safety,” President/CEO Brent McClendon stated, “The release of the manual just reinforces our commitment to the safety of the entire industry, their workers, and first responders.” The NWPCA was influential in the development of the revised standards to address the fire risk with sound operating practices. McClendon added, “Our members practice safety first. The new manual will help this industry tremendously by outlining best practices for use in their facilities while complying with the new fire codes coming their way.”

The new NFPA 1 and IFC code requirements highlight the need for a defined site plan, a fire prevention plan, a fire safety and evacuation plan, and a security management plan. The NWPCA Fire Code Compliance manual will include:

Outline of specific steps each facility will need to take to comply with new fire codes and code regulations.

Templates and checklists that facilities can use to assist in drafting required plans and maintaining documentation.

Additionally, the manual will provide the necessary information facilities need to achieve compliance with the revised fire code requirements.

The NWPCA Fire Code Compliance Manual is scheduled to be published and released in the fall of 2017. Interested businesses and organizations can sign up to receive updates about the Code Compliance Manual’s release on www.PalletCentral.com/ComplianceManual.

July 18, 2017. The global Automotive Robotics Market is predicted to grow at a CAGR surpassing 11% over the forecast period to 2024. The market is likely to exceed USD 16 billion by that time. Demand for trucks, cars, buses, and off-road vehicles will drive the industry. Growth in automotive manufacturing will increase the demand for automotive robots. Investment in new production capacity of emerging markets could add to market growth.

July 18, 2017. Lincoln Hill Holdings Acquires Fibre Tec Partitions, LLC. The new portfolio company of Lincoln Hill Holdings, LLC, Fibre Tec Packaging, LLC, has acquired substantially all of the assets of Fibre-Tec Partitions, LLC. Fibre Tec is a leading fabricator of high quality, customized, fiber and corrugated box partitions and pads. The Company was founded in 1997 and serves box manufacturers, packaging brokers, manufacturers, and distributors across a wide variety of end markets, including food, beverage, automotive, pharmaceutical, and consumer packaged goods. Fibre Tec will continue serving its 500+ customers from its 63,000 sq. ft. facility in Chicago, IL.

IFCO has won Worldwide Business Review’s 2017 German Enterprise Award in the category Leading Experts in Reusable Packaging Solutions. The 25-year-old IFCO is a global provider of reusable packaging solutions for fresh foods, serving customers in over 50 countries worldwide and operates a global pool of over 270 million Reusable Plastic Containers (RPCs).

“Looking ahead, IFCO will continue to expand our solutions for fresh foods,” said Wolfgang Orgeldinger, CEO of IFCO. “Today, the vast majority of our business serves the fresh fruit and vegetable industry, but our customers are increasingly asking us for solutions which can bring the same benefits of lower costs, lower environmental footprint, and better product protection to other fresh foods. These include meat and poultry, eggs, dairy, seafood, and bakery products. In addition, we will continue to expand geographically to meet the needs of our customers around the world.”

New Appointment at LPR Spain

LPR España – La Palette Rouge Ibérica, a Division of Euro Pool Group, a pallet-pooling specialist for manufacturers and distributors in the fast-moving consumer goods sector, has added a new member to its Executive Board.

José Antonio del Olmo, currently Sales Manager at LPR Spain will take over the Sales Directorate of LPR Spain on 1 July 2017, to replace Álvaro Molina. Álvaro will be continuing his career in Euro Pool Group’s other Division as Country Manager of Euro Pool System UK, Ltd., whose headquarters are in Birmingham (England).

José Antonio has 15 years of experience in the management of customer accounts and sales in various multinational companies in the logistics sector, and has spent 10 years with LPR Spain as a Key Account manager in the Customer Service department and as Sales Manager where, among other missions, he headed up projects such as the development of our activity in the fresh produce sector.

LPR operates throughout Europe, with 8 subsidiaries in France, Spain, Portugal, Benelux, the UK and Ireland, Germany, Italy and Poland, providing a high-quality pallet-pooling service to their customers and retail partners. The company manages more than 76 million pallet movements per year throughout Europe.

July 16, 2917. The global smart packaging market is expected to reach USD 46.74 Billion by 2022, growing at 5.16 % CAGR during the forecast period, according to Wise Guy Reports. Smart packaging refers to packaging systems that help extend shelf life, monitor freshness, display information on quality, improve safety, and improve convenience. These are used for foods, pharmaceuticals, and several other types of products. The market is majorly driven by the increased demand from food & beverage industry, growing demand from pharmaceutical industry and the increase in government policies regarding food safety.

The global smart packaging market is segmented on the basis of technology, application and region. On the basis of technology, the market is segmented as active packaging, intelligent packaging and MAP.

Intelligent packaging segment is expected to grow with the highest rate of 5.67% CAGR during the forecast period. Market categorization based on applications includes segments food & beverage, automotive, healthcare, personal care and others.

Food and beverage Segment held the largest share with 6.23% CAGR within the market during the forecast period.

EPAL’s Business News, July issue. Click the image to read.

July 14, 2017. The global market for moulded fibre pulp packaging is set to witness a CAGR of 5.8% in revenue terms between 2016 and 2026. However, alternative packaging materials such EPS and plastics may inhibit widespread adoption of moulded fibre pulp packaging. In addition, lower strength threshold of short fibre used as a raw material in moulded pulp packaging may negative impact the overall market growth over the next couple of years.

July 14, 2017. Wooden pallets manufacturer Leap India plans to increase its top line by over seven times in three years by trebling production capacity to meet its rising demand from corporate customers like Amul, Coca Cola, Modelez, Nestle, and Flipkart. Currently, the company with employment of over 200 skilled and unskilled workers, supplies about one million pallets made from Russian-imported wood with the help of equipment pooling and returnable packages.

July 13, 2017. The Protective Solutions division of Sonoco, a leading provider of protective packaging, components, and material handling solutions, has released its Cost of Damage Calculator, a robust online tool designed to calculate the real cost of damage to businesses when shipping their products.

With packaging an essential part of the supply chain, determining how best to ease risk for product damage throughout the entire process is paramount. The calculator successfully breaks down the customer’s e-commerce and retail damage to show the percentage of damage, number of units, total cost and the percentage of profits this affects.

“With many companies only using reports on the number of units returned and replaced, we wanted to accurately calculate the cost of damage due to ineffective packaging, looking at the whole picture,” said Jim Lowry, director of new business development for Sonoco Protective Solutions. “When a company truly looks at the total cost of dealing with damage, including not only product replacement, but also shipping, handling, customer support, freight both ways, loss of profits, etc., they might find the original packaging decision may not have been the right one after all.”

July 12, 2017. ORBIS Corporation is expanding its operation in Monticello, Iowa, to make room for continued growth. With support from local contractors and suppliers, the building will more than double in size, expanding from 80,000 to 180,000 square feet. Construction is scheduled to start summer 2017 and end spring 2018. The new space is initially slated to be used for warehousing, fulfillment and value-added operations.

July 12, 2017. The site general manager of a pallet facility in Manitowoc, Wisc., pled guilty and was sentenced in the U.S. District Court for criminal violations related to the Plant Protection Act (PPA). He fraudulently marked wooden pallets indicating that they were compliant with the regulations under the PPA that govern the use of wood packaging material in international trade even though they had not been properly treated to prevent the spread of wood-boring pests.

As part of a plea agreement, Wetenkamp pled guilty to violating the Act and making a false statement, which are both criminal charges. Wetenkamp was sentenced to pay a $25,000 fine, complete a two-year probation term, and pay restitution in the amount of $18,748 to his customers.

He sold falsely stamped pallets to numerous customers between November 2014 and April 2015. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

July 10, 2017. Market Research Future has published Global Bulk Packaging Market for Cosmetics Industry Information by Material Type (Plastic, Metal, Paper & Paperboard, and others), By Product Type (Pails, Drums, Bulk Boxes, Shipping Sacks, Material Handling Containers, and others) and By Region – Forecast To 2023 – a research report on global the global bulk packaging market for the cosmetics industry. The market for global bulk packaging in the cosmetics industry is expected to grow at the CAGR of 5.14% during the period 2016 to 2023.

The global bulk packaging market for cosmetics industry is majorly driven by the change in the taste and preferences of the consumer for use of cosmetic products. Due to the rising affluence and the growing consciousness about grooming and appearance, among individuals, the potential of the cosmetics market is growing. This is driving the demand for use of bulk packaging for storage and transportation of cosmetics. The market is also driven by the growth in the end-use segments of the cosmetic industry such as skin care, hair care, and baby care among others.

Based on all kinds of materials used in global bulk packaging market for the cosmetics industry, the plastics accounted for the largest share and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.32% during the forecast period. The growth of plastic can be attributed to various factors such as average gains associated with the material over steel drums in terms of cost, weight and corrosion resistance.

Based on all kinds of products, pails are expected to grow the highest. The growth can be attributed to their performance and cost advantages in small volume applications. Drums will also continue to be a critical product for the packaging of larger sized products due to their relatively low cost, reusability, and effectiveness in the safe transport of hazardous materials.

July 12, 2017. The Pallet Alliance Inc. (TPAI), a unique national pallet management program provider, has been awarded USG’s Diversity and Inclusion Supplier of the Year 2017. The presentation was made at USG’s Diversity and Inclusion Awards Ceremony in Chicago (shown below). TPAI states that this is the first time a vendor has received this award, and in order to win, it was measured against many large and successful USG vendors.

July 5, 2017. According to Persistence Market Research’s new report, the global pallets market, which is currently valued at over US$ 47,337 Mn is expected to register a CAGR of 5.4% between 2017 and 2025 to reach a valuation of US$ 76,067.2 Mn. During this eight years of the forecast, the market will be primarily driven by increasing global standards of goods transportation operations that is necessitating the adoption of pallets to a significant extent. Demand for pallets is gaining healthy traction owing to increasing urbanization in emerging countries such as China, Brazil and India, implicating the establishment of better and safer goods transportation system in large-scale industries such as food & beverages, pharmaceuticals and agriculture in these nations.

PMR’s report, titled “Global Market Study on Pallets: Plastic Material Type Segment Projected to Register the Highest CAGR During 2017 – 2025” projects that growth of the retail and automotive sectors in regions such as Asia Pacific and Latin America is likely to boost the growth of the global pallets market over the next couple of years. The market in Asia Pacific is anticipated to present lucrative growth opportunities for pallet manufacturers. Moreover, growing number of supermarkets and hypermarkets is also leading to widespread adoption of pallets in the region. Pallets facilitate easier and faster movement of large quantities of consumer products from inventories to display cabinets. In terms of value, Europe and North America are expected to retain their leading positions in the global pallets market over the forecast period, as these two regions were early adopters of pallets.

“Keeping your packaging game sharp requires individual effort and sometimes a little team practice. Where better to bulk(bin) up your packaging game than alongside fellow packaging experts at the inaugural AAMA Packaging Bootcamp!

“Surgere is well accustomed to the challenges associated with packaging management, so after some consideration and many client requests, we’ve decided to create an event destination where automotive packaging professionals, material managers, and procurement specialists can get together, share experiences and improve their game. We’ll get tactical, brush up on basics and best practices, and focus on the latest trends and challenges facing the automotive inbound supply chain, all from a packaging perspective.

“This half-day interactive session takes place at Honda Manufacturing of Alabama in Lincoln, AL, and is designed to equip you with the tools and know-how necessary to increase your strength and agility as a packaging manager. Throughout the day you’ll hear from industry veterans, manufacturers, service providers, and even a little cross-industry expertise. Expect the latest in returnable container management, yard management, packaging design and more.”

July 10. Ikea has announced its intention to build a new distribution center in Vancouver, BC. The new location will support its supply chain operations for retail outlets in BC and Alberta, as well as e-Commerce sales. it will be located in Richmond BC, covering 340,000 sq. ft. and employing approximately 100 people. Ikea expects the new center to open in April 2018.

July 10. Topper Tube, a division of Topper Industrial, has introduced a new caster plate which increases stability. The caster plate has a standard hole pattern to use with multiple types of casters so the customer has choices. With the new Topper caster plate (Topper Tube Part No. 9000), the placement of the casters is moved to the outward extremities on the structure, increasing the stability and ensuring better mobility of the unit.

“The caster plate is durable and long lasting,” explained Eric Brown, Head of Research & Development at Topper Industrial. “It helps increase the life expectancy of the structure with which it is used. Users have more options when picking casters used with their small parts movement. Adding the plate to the caster is an efficient way to move parts from point A to point B without the fear of dropping, tipping, or being damaged. Now, with these durable casters and plates, warehouse operators and manufacturers do not have to worry about product damage.”

Typical tube and joint caster placements are inward on the structure due to the construction with joints and the type of casters used. Tube and joint structures are generally made for low weight capacity and periodical movement. In the application when costly or fragile parts are needed to be moved every day in a sequence, the added plate to the caster and outward positioning of casters ensure the safe delivery of such parts.

July 10. Amazon has announced its intention to build a massive warehouse south of Orlando International Airport, according to a news report. The sprawling facility, located in the city’s Lake Nona neighborhood, will employ 1,500 full-time workers. Since the construction of its first Florida fulfillment center in 2013. The nation’s largest retailer said it has hired more than 4,000 full-time workers in Florida since it constructed its first fulfillment center in the state in 2013. Total statewide employment will reach 9,000 people once the new facility is opened.

Mahindra and Mahindra are featured in Packaging South Asia Magazine. The company has transitioned over 1400 parts to reusable packaging, including closed loop and rental systems.

July 8. An international chemical company is seeking an asset manager for its global reusable packaging pool. Salary range is $85 – $100k.

“The Asset Manager will oversee the planning and systems associated with the reusable packaging globally. This includes managing the fleet planning for all of the cylinders, canisters, and other reusable assets necessary to support inbound supply and outbound sales. The Asset Manager will also be responsible for providing leadership to improve the tools and processes used to plan and track the companies assets. The Asset Manager will drive continuous improvement and productivity projects to improve the operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the asset fleets globally.” See the posting link here.

July 6. Packaging Services Europe Ltd has officially opened its new facility in Leeds, marking a £350,000 investment in the business’s network and the creation of up to 25 jobs, once the site is at full capacity. Following an extensive refurbishment of the 26,000 sq. ft. site, the facility will provide a throughput capacity of one million pallets per year through its industry-leading wash, inspection, and repair process.

July 6. Hazleton, PA – Tosca, a provider of reusable packaging and supply chain solutions, recently expanded the size of its facility in the Humboldt Industrial Park in order to support significant growth and to increase the facilities’ capabilities. According to a news report, Tosca, which moved into the Humboldt Industrial Park in 2002, previously operated in a 25,000-square-foot service center. The company has now expanded to a 50,000-square-foot facility, doubling the site’s size and capabilities.

July 1. Svenska Retursystem (SRS), a leading RPC and pallet rental provider in Sweden, will officially open its new washing and logistics center in Västerås, Sweden, this September. According to SRS, the new Hållbara Aros facility is the largest and most efficient to date for the provider. It will wash 70 million plastic crates and pallets annually. The event will also be an opportunity to celebrate the 20th anniversary of SRS. Stefan Hyttfors, a leading futurist, will speak at the event.

June 18. Antti Sarkkula (shown at right) has been appointed New Business Development Manager at K. Hartwall. Antti’s specialties are omnichannel e-commerce and retailing and management & development of supply chains.

June 13. WarmPro has introduced a new base heater for the Arena A330 IBC. See their new ad, below.